Abante: Duterte impeach trial unlikely to affect budget deliberations

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante on Saturday said the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is unlikely to affect the timeline of deliberations and approval of the 2027 national budget.

Duterte’s impeachment trial, which began last July 6, will run for 92 trial days.

 Meanwhile, the House committee on appropriations’ hearings on the proposed budget of different agencies will begin next week. 

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“We’ve seen that the impeachment trial lasts for four hours which begins in the morning, while deliberations happen at 3 p.m. I don’t think it will have an effect,” Abante, who represents the sixth district of Manila, said during the Saturday News Forum. 

The National Expenditure Program for 2027 was formally transmitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the House of Representatives last Aug. 11. 

The executive branch proposed a P7.2 trillion national budget for 2027, which is 6 percent higher than the P6.793 trillion budget for 2026. 

The trial proceedings are scheduled from Monday to Wednesday every week, beginning at 10 a.m. and adjourning by 3 p.m. to give way to the plenary session. Before the second regular session of the 20th Congress opened last July 27, the proceedings were set from 2 p.m. onward. 

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READ: Escudero: Impeachment trial stays on morning schedule next week

Meanwhile, the briefings for the Development Budget Coordination Committee, which comprises the DBM, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, Department of Finance, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, will begin on Monday, Aug. 17. 

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The remaining briefing schedules for next week will be allotted to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office on Tuesday, Aug 18. 

Based on the proposed schedule of the House appropriations panel, the hearings will end on Tuesday, Sept. 8. 

Possible opening of bicameral conference committee to the public

Meanwhile, Abante said he believes that the possible deliberations of the bicameral conference committee on the 2027 national budget should be livestreamed again to the public. 

The committee, made up of members of the Senate and the House, reconciles conflicting provisions in a bill. 

“I think we must be transparent. We should see the process in the bicam. I believe that we must invite religious [organizations] , educators, and civil societies so they will see that we are not hiding anything from the public,” he expressed.

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He added that a bicameral committee is no longer needed if one chamber accepts the version proposed by the other chamber. /das